The second round of talks between Haryana Government’s appointed five-member committee and Jat leaders on Monday ended on an unsuccessful note as the Jats announced to continue their agitation which has entered 21st day in Haryana.
The Jat leaders and Government’s committee led by Chief Secretary DS Dhesi, however, reached a consensus on three issues including increase in compensation from `1 lakh to 2 lakh announced for those injured during last year’s Jat stir, compensation for the kin of those killed in the agitation and constituting a four members committee to look into the cases registered against the Jats during the agitation in February.
After the meeting which lasted for about four hours, Yashpal Malik, chief of Akhil Bhartiya Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (ABJASS), which is spearheading the ongoing Jat agitation said that peaceful protest would continue till all the demands are accepted by the State Government.
Malik, while talking to the mediapersons said that the State Government has accepted to increase the compensation announced for those injured in last year’s protest. The compensation will be increased from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2 lakh. Besides, compensation would be given to the kin of those killed in the Jat stir 2016, said he.
Apart from this, a four-member committee including two representatives of ABJASS and State Government would be constituted to look into the cases registered against the Jats in connection with arson and violence related to Jat agitation, said he.
The State Government’s committee had held its first meeting with the Jat leaders on February 11 however it had remained inconclusive.
Violence during the February 2016 agitation had left 31 people dead and over 200 injured. Government and private properties worth hundreds of crores were also damaged.
The State Government had recently announced Rs 1 lakh compensation for those persons who sustained a bullet injury and for Rs 50000 for those who suffered a fracture. The amount of compensation announced was Rs 25,000 for those who sustained any other minor injuries during the Jat protest 2016.
In an attempt to mollify the Jat protestors, District Administration, Rohtak on Monday also gave away cheques amounting to Rs 15 lakh to 22 innocent persons who got injured during last year agitation.
Yashpal Malik said that the till all our demands are fulfilled by the State Government, the protest will continue in 20 districts of Haryana and also, the programmes announced a day before related to holding protests in neighboring Delhi would be held.
A day before, the Jat community had observed “Balidan Divas” and announced their future course of action.
The Jat leader said that as the announcement, the agitation will be intensified in Bhiwani, Jind, Kaithal, Panipat, Hisar, Karnal, Dadri, Kurukshetra, Mewat and Panchkula from March 1.
Also, Jats from Delhi and Uttar Pradesh will protest in the national capital on March 2 and submit a memorandum on their demands to the President. They also plan to gherao Parliament, the date for which will be announced on March 2, said Malik.
The Jats will also observe February 26 as "Black Day" to protest against the State Governments policies and the community members will wear black turbans and ties, ribbons and arm bands.
The demands of the agitating Jats include the release of those jailed during last year's agitation, withdrawal of cases slapped during the protest and government jobs for the kin of those killed and injured while taking part in February 2016 Jat stir in Haryana.
Besides asking Haryana Government to put forth a strong case in HC for vacating the stay on reservation given to Jats in Haryana last year, the community has demanded reservation in central jobs and educational institutions.
Though the BJP government had enacted a new law, the Haryana Backward Classes (Reservation in Services and Admission in Educational Institutions) Act, 2016, in March last year to grant reservation to Jats and five other communities, it was stayed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on May 26, last year.
About 4,000 youths had been booked in about 2,100 cases of murders, large scale violence and arson, besides other offences in 2016 Jat stir.
The Jats have also demanded action against BJP MP from Kurukshetra constituency Raj Kumar Saini for his alleged anti-Jatrants.
Meanwhile, a case of sedition has been registered in Rohtak against a Jat leader, who had a day before used derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.